Certain network devices, such as network gateways, routers, and switches, are intended to provide networking services continually without interruption. Such network devices are typically made up of one or more physical components (e.g., optical transceivers, fans, and power supplies) that have limited and varying useful lives.
In some situations, a network device and/or the networking services that it provides may fail or otherwise experience downtime if any of the network device's physical components fail. In other circumstances, a network device and/or the networking services that it provides may need to be taken offline in order to repair or replace a physical component of the network device that has failed or is failing. As a result, users of network devices and the networking services that they provide may experience unexpected networking service downtime or unavailability as a result of physical-component failures. As such, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for improved systems and methods for managing and avoiding the effects of physical-component failures.